recent stories about

I sat at the top of a pure white sand dune, trying to see over the crest to view the perilous drop down. I thought, Can I really do this? I meant, can I really (purposely!) slide down a deathly slope on a sandboard?

The sandboards were the type that you sat on and rode down on your bum. You had to keep your feet on the board or you might break a leg; and I was worried that if I fell off sideways, I was going to break my face! What if I’m going too fast? What if I stack it face first in the sand? What if I break my neck?!!! It was the first day of my Western Xposure tour; I didn’t want any injuries preventing me from enjoying the rest of my 10 day trip from Perth to Broome. Should I really risk it? But if I backed out now I would be such a chicken. Plus I would always regret it; always wishing I had given it a go. And my cousin had just travelled down the slope safely… I pushed off the peak! Down I raced with my heart in my throat. I managed to yelp a ‘Whoop’ in excitement; and then I crashed into the adjacent sand dune. White sand showered all over me. And, if I’m honest, I even ate a few grains of sand. I turned to the tour group with a triumphant grin. I did it! I then did it again 3 more times. After the first time, the scariest part was climbing UP the hill, not racing down it. With each step up the sand dune, you sunk half way back down. It was a better workout than a stairmaster. In between turns down the slope, I took a moment to look around the Port Denison sand dunes. Hills of white sand stretched out before me. The sand was so white that from a distance it had looked like snow. Standing on top of the dunes it appeared as though we were on a different planet (think Abydos in Stargate). I’d never seen anything quite like it in real life before. It was beautiful. The following day, I planned to be just as adventurous. I had signed up to do abseiling in Kalbarri National Park. I couldn’t wait. I had done abseiling once before and had loved it. However, on the drive to Kalbarri my back, neck and shoulders started to ache. I guessed that I didn’t escape the sandboarding without payment after all – I probably had a minor case of whiplash. I started to worry that I wouldn’t be able to do the abseiling. I didn’t want to back out now – I would look like a scared looser. I wasn’t scared! I was just in pain. But when we got to the Kalbarri National Park the road was closed. It had rained heavily the night before and the roads were flooded, so we couldn’t enter the park. I was saved from having to choose whether or not to do the abseiling. Of course, I was disappointed that we missed out, but also a little relieved. At least I didn’t have to look like a chicken if I backed out, and I was pretty sure it would have been a bad idea to go ahead with it, the way that my shoulders were hurting.Instead we went for a walk along the Kalbarri coastal cliffs. It was in the rain but it was still lovely.www.kimberleywild.com.au/Perth_Broome.html